Today students from Baker Middle School and Mt. Tahoma and Oakland High Schools attended a celebration at Cheney Stadium. As a reward for setting and achieving goals in the BIG (Believe in Goals) Program, these students were treated to lunch and a tour of Cheney Stadium. Chip Maxon, VP of Tickets Sales, Daren Brown, Manager, and Trayvon Robinson spoke to the students about the importance of setting goals, believing in yourself and making good choices to achieve those goals. Several players autographed hats and memorabilia for students.
Through a partnership with Communities In Schools of Tacoma, the Tacoma Rainiers, Tacoma School District and Pacific Lutheran University, Project BIG works with high risk students and teaches them how to set and achieve goals and the importance of working cooperatively. Those students who showed significant academic and behavioral progress got a chance to celebrate their successes with the Rainiers. Mitchell Aguilar, (an Oakland senior), Liem Nguyen (Mt Tahoma junior), Ed Jaris Condalor (Mt. Tahoma junior), and Tashi Stroud (Baker 6th grader), were each awarded a special plaque in honor of their excellence throughout the program.
Chip spoke specifically about his struggle being raised by a single mother in a low-income household. His mom served as his role model, because she made the sacrifice to return to school in order to give him a better opportunity. He explained to the students how he once dreamed to play in the major league. Baseball got him into college, but when he realized that he would likely not make it to the league, rather than giving up, Chip adjusted his focus and set a new goal, get into baseball operations/ownership. He stressed to the kids the importance of “preparing to change your goals and after you achieve one goal, setting new ones.”
Trayvon also told a story of perseverance. Having grown up in the tough streets of South-Central Los Angeles, temptation and distraction was all around. Gang activity and crime was pulling many of his closest friends down. With the help of his single mom and the strong support of his brothers, Trayvon avoided going down the wrong path. He vowed to bring baseball back to South-Central. With this goal in mind, Trayvon continued to “stay the course” and make strides towards his ultimate goal of making the majors. The first step towards his ultimate goal was achieved when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers his senior year of High School. Trayvon faced many road blocks during his journey through the Minors, including the death of his best friend. At every roadblock he reminded himself of his ultimate goal and continued to “stay the course.”
Throughout the school year, The Rainiers supplied guest speakers to come into each school to talk about different aspects of working for a ball club and the role of setting goals. “There is more to being involved in professional sports than being a player or manager,” said Mallory Beckingham, Director of Community Development for the Rainiers. “The staff members who spoke to the students were able to bring to light all that goes into running a club like the Rainiers.”
Scott Heinze, Board Chair is very proud of our kids. “Students in the Tacoma School District are some of the smartest and most gifted kids in the state. Project BIG helps these kids to dream BIG and gives them the tools, mentoring, and inspiration they need to reach their goals. Today’s luncheon was a chance to celebrate these young people and positively reinforce their hard work and commitment to the program.”
Not only did the students leave Cheney stadium with autographed hats, backpacks, and water bottles, many left with a new perspective on goals and their own potential. “My favorite part was hearing the personal stories of the speakers. It showed that some people, who think they can’t make it, work hard to overcome where they are from,” states Alyssa Carter, 6th grader at Baker Middle School. Andres Camacho, 6th grader Baker Middle school, echoes that sentiment, “I really liked listening to Trayvon speak, it showed how strong he is, and that I can make it big from where I am too.”
